Bird-cage food-holder



Aug. 25, 1931.

H. H. HILL BIRD CAGE FOOD HOLDER Filed Sept. 12, 1929 M% 2y dim Patented ea es; 1931 i HARRY-H. BILL, OF CHICAGO, I

" BIRD-CAGE roonirormnn Application filed September I My present invention relates to an appliance or clasp for holding edible articles in bird-cagesfin position for easy access ofthe occupant of the enclosure. Theimproved and'novel-holder is especially adapted for supporting or sustaining a piece of Cuttlefish, apple,ilettu'ce, celery, or the like, in appropriatefman'ner while the bird "feeds thereon, but it is to be understoodthat it is not necessarily limited or restricted to such particular employment.

' One aim or purpose' f the invention is to provide. a holder or clamp of this general type or character which is simple in struc ture, which. may be manufactured atfsmall cost, which is easily operated, which holds (the food firmly and-securely, and which is unlikely to afford means may injure itsel'fi Tothe attainme M 7 whereby the bird nt iof these other 'de sirable objects, Ihave produced'a holder of this. character, a-preferredf embodiment of }which is illustratedin detailiin the accom 'panying drawings forming a part of this I specification, and to which reference should be had in connection with the' followingfdetailedldescription, like reference numerals, for simplicity, being emplQyeCl to designate the same parts throughout-the several yiews. In these drawings; 1 I Figure 1 is a face View ofthe clamp show- .ing it, applied to the bars of a bird-cage, I Figure 2is a vertical section on line 22 ofFigure 1;" m Figure 8 is a horizontal section on line 33 ofFig'ure'I, showing the clamp holding Z an article of food, such as' a' pieceof lettuce; y'Figure li's aplanviewillustrating the appliance holding another edible-piece, such as a fragment of apple; and") Figure 5 is a top, edge view of the holder by itself when'not applied to the cage and not holding any articleof food' c R fer-ring t0 the drawings, it will be perceived that the damper holder','wh'ich is desirablyfand preferably, but not necessarily,

' I T madeof'a single piece ojfresilient or elastic metal, comprises a main, flatjor plane, body section 11 and bent, end portions, character'- ized as a whole 12, 12, eachof which extends minors, Assicno'n on Or nlair r o enema irma ql 'cfiIflAGq l LIillgfllg, i j c '1 12, 1929. Serial noiaeaoss.

.outwardly ashort distanceat; l3, thensub stantially parallel to the main, section ll at 14,?then outwardly somewhat curvedat 15, 4 terminating inahent," finished end .16.: 11 Thetw o, fleXibleor-springy 311115 01 finger pieces 12, 12 naturally tend to separate enough st-ofirmly,cngagethe arljacentbars orrods 17, j 17 Qfj thje bird-cagewvhen-inserted between them, and,in this manner, they are adapted to support the entire. clasp or holder by their; frictional and clamp relation with the bars. To insert-orintroduce such arms or-proijections, between, the birrLca bars, theyare i temporarily;squeezed orpressed toward one anotherby the operator, and, when they are in proper place or correctposition, theyare released, whereupomgin expandinggor separating under their inherent ornatural re siliency,=theygrasp the two bars as is clearly depicted and maintain the food holder in Q Position; as is fully shown in the 7 several new 1 ,1 1 a The main-body 11 is cut through on converging, intersecting linesil8, 18, leaving a pointed, triangulareshaped ortapered prong vor spear 19between them, the base or broad {part of which is atone end ofthe section 11, :while its point'edor sharp end is near the QOlJhQIYBIlCl of the section 11.

c Such base portion.is offsetislightly out- 7' wardly of theplaneof the part lflflt 20, and, H Whenithe holder is unsupplied with food,

the point, or the tongue or prong is ,inithe plane of the element 11 as shown in I Figure I 5, 'sotha the bird occupantof the cageicannot 1 (injure or damage' itself thereon, j n .thefarins or handles 12, 1 2 are jsqueezed towardlone another, thel prong-l9 isdeflected outwardly andtheportionll is p flexed or" bowedinwardly, or in the opposite 1' ',clirection,gthus separating the parts 11 and v 19 sufiiciently for the easy introduction of the food, such as a portion of lettuce leaf 21, between the two, 'or the spearing of the food, such as a piece of apple 22, on the prong. l 2 Upon releaseof the arms or handles, the V clasp firmly clamps the esculent in place and in suitable position for ready consumptionby I the bird p Thus the spring arms perform a double J00 function in that they hold the clamp in place by engagement with the bird-cage bars and, in addition, they act as handles to manipulate the holder for the insertion or removal of the 5 article of food. 7

Those acquainted'with this art will readily V understand that the invention as defined by r the appended claims is not limitedor res 'stricted to the precise or exact detailsof the V 1 structure and that they maybe changed or modified without departure from the heart and essence of the invention and without the sacrifice of any ofits material benefits or advantages. v 7 t' A y I claim I 7, v j

' 1. food holder of v the character described, comprising an elastic one-piece metal member having a main body with a pair of outstandingterminal arms at its opposite 2o vends compressibl-e'toward one another to al-" low their introduction'between the 'bars of a bird cage and normally tending to separate I sufliciently to causethem' to maintain the t holder in position by engagement with; the

,25 bars of the cage said main body being slit to provide a tongue joined thereto. at its base only nearone end of said main body, said mainbody and tongue being automatically v separable upon contr'actionof said arms and y automatically contractible on an article of I food'between them upon expansion of said r arms into bar-engaging 'relation. y Y 2. A food-holder of the character de-f= V scribed, comprising an elastic one-piece metal member having amain 'body with a pair of outstanding terminal arms at its opposite ends'compressilole toward one another to allow their introduction'betweenthe bars of a j I bird-cage and normally tending. to separate 4o sufliciently to cause them to 'maintain the holder in position by engagement with the bars ofthe cage, saidmain body being slit 'oncon'verging lines ,to provide a tapered, pointed spear joined tosaid main bodyflin 4 offset relationat its base only hear one end l of said main body, said main body and spear being automatically separable upon contraction of said arms and automatically contractible on an' article of foodbetween them 150' .upon expansion of saidarm s into bar-engaging relation, the point of said spear being "substantially in the planejofzsaid main body "when the holder supports no articleof food. 1 In witness whereof have hereunto set my hand.

- t HARRY HHILLQl been 

